Final Fantasy XIV’s Retail Version Was Technically a Beta, According To Square-Enix

In a statement given to Eurogamer earlier, Hiromichi Tanaka, senior vice president of software development, said that the feedback collected from the beta tests of Final Fantasy XIV, nearly none of the features and tweaks required were implemented. In fact, by the time the beta had ended, Square-Enix didn’t change anything about the game’s state at all, and instead focused on removing bugs from what they already had; essentially rendering the beta a useless exercise.

“We received a lot of feedback from the beta tests. The development team should have focused on shaping up the game during the beta process, but because we were really concentrating on de-bugging the game – fixing all the bugs – that’s one of the reasons why we were not able to have all the requests implemented during the beta process.

“That’s why we do understand the reaction from the players, now the game’s out.” He told Eurogamer.

Final Fantasy XIV was released in a state best regarded as ‘barely functional’ by critics and players alike. The game is currently sitting with a 50% rating on Metacritic. A PS3 version is in development as well, which is currently scheduled for a 2011 release. Square Enix is now focusing on a major patch (Months after the game’s release!) that will fix many of the players’ grievances and implement much needed features and tweaks. One must wonder if the game might have fared better with the critics and the public had it been released now.

It is not uncommon for MMO publishers to ship their games in wildly unfinished states. Age of Conan had some major features that were promised in interviews and previews cut from the game right before it was released (some of which have not been implemented to this day). World of Warcraft enjoys a thriving player base due largely to the quality and polish of the finished product that Blizzard ships. While World of Warcraft was no where near perfect when it was released, Blizzard’s commitment to quality is commendable considering the fact that they are among the very few who learned the valuable lesson of releasing a product in a robust, functional state in order to garner positive first impressions for buyers. It may very well be the secret behind their success (or at least one of them).

I think its interesting the way people receive news like this. People who enjoy FFXIV take it positively where those who still feel disrespected by SE are interpreting as more of an "i told you so".

Its still interesting to experience around the forums, i just wish people would look at their criticisms a bit more retrospectively. In a year if FFXIV can relinquish that beta feeling and give players a healthy amount of pre-end game content i think their shot at success is remarkably good, people will remember the beginning as a tough era and always look upon SE updates with a skewed view but they'll most likely keep playing as long as FFXIV offers a complete and unique experience.

In a statement given to Eurogamer earlier, Hiromichi Tanaka, senior vice president of software development, In a statement given to Eurogamer earlier, Hiromichi Tanaka, senior vice president of software development, said that the feedback collected from the beta tests of Final Fantasy XIV, nearly none of the features and tweaks required were implemented

that even mean?

Quote:

said that the feedback collected from the beta tests of Final Fantasy XIV, nearly none of the features and tweaks required were implemented

Lib, I personally am enjoying the game as well, but I do have to agree with the article in that the feedback given was widely ignored. Hardly anything was implemented throughout beta and in between beta and release. In fact, it was the quickest beta I've ever seen. The game went from alpha to retail in about 1/3 of the time of most betas I've participated in. I was recently in a beta that had been going on for almost 7 months. And every week, there were large strides made to the game. That particular game isn't my cup of tea so I won't be purchasing it on release to see what changes were made between beta and release, but if their weekly beta updates were any indication, it is going to be a lot. The game was way more polished then 14's beta when I joined that beta, and I also joined that beta a lot earlier on.

I am looking forward to the promised updates, much like anyone else who is playing. I stick with the game because it has a lot of potential and right now, I do still have faith that SE is going to deliver. But I do feel that they put this game out knowing it wasn't finished figuring hey it's final fantasy, our fans are going to buy it and subscribe and hold on anyway.

I do think though it's time for them to admit it's in beta and think about either extending the free trial until after both the nov and dec updates are out or lowering the monthly for a few months. I know a lot of people are complaining about paying to play to beta test and while I do agree with the statement, I also know that when this beta first came out, before it was open, if it was possible to get in with a small monthly fee, some of us probably would have. The main difference though is we would have known then what we were getting for our money.

I will be one who sticks it out because I do enjoy a lot about the game even in it's current state. And again, I do have faith that they are going to deliver. So the way I see it, I'll just be closer to where I want to be with my crafts and such when they do deliver.

#8antshock30,
Posted:Nov 12 2010 at 12:18 PM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) Did some really post in a year this game will be GREAT! lmao. In a year there will be something far more advance and better to play with a company that doesn't charge for beta testing and then give you the shaft about it. I love loyal fans. If we wait to 2075 i bet the game will be the best ever!!!! hahahahahahahahahah

In a statement given to Eurogamer earlier, Hiromichi Tanaka, senior vice president of software development, In a statement given to Eurogamer earlier, Hiromichi Tanaka, senior vice president of software development, said that the feedback collected from the beta tests of Final Fantasy XIV, nearly none of the features and tweaks required were implemented

that even mean?

Quote:

said that the feedback collected from the beta tests of Final Fantasy XIV, nearly none of the features and tweaks required were implemented

I guess anyone with a website on the internet is a game critic now.

Technically they are, actually we everyone one of us is a critic. Being the internet and how our society is we are supposed to critique aspects of our life. My critique of XIV would be favourable, but I would mention to things one that the game does need polish and more content, and secondly i would suggest a an interested buyer to hold off until at least ps3 launch.

I am and will be playing this game more once work cools down and the updates come but for now its a leisurely interest.

I am very optimistic about the future of XIV and I have no problem in saying that.

Worthless article. While the game is unquestionably in an unfinished state that could be called "beta," Square Enix hasn't said anything like that. This is a writer quoting snippets from someone else's interview and trying to bend them to fit his own narrative.

"Beta" means "content and feature complete and no known bugs" for most game publishers. In layman terms "we think the game is done but we have not tested it throughly so there might be some unknown bugs". By this definition FFXIV is yet to enter the Beta stage.

Go play any other game that has been released in the last 12 months that has a decent rating. Next, I dare you to find the ambition to return to FFXIV. So what does this say to all involved. If it is not fun and exciting, then there is really very little reason to continue.

After you hit the wall of progress in FFXIV, you are only left with ??? and no answers. This isn't a scenario like so many have tried to put it, "Having the game spoon-fed to you". Or another scenario "Learning Curve". There is no learning curve, since learning requires teaching. It is more align with sitting at your dinner table with your parents. Your parents then inform you that if you don't finish your meat, how can you have any pudding?

Go play any other game that has been released in the last 12 months that has a decent rating. Next, I dare you to find the ambition to return to FFXIV. So what does this say to all involved. If it is not fun and exciting, then there is really very little reason to continue.

After you hit the wall of progress in FFXIV, you are only left with ??? and no answers. This isn't a scenario like so many have tried to put it, "Having the game spoon-fed to you". Or another scenario "Learning Curve". There is no learning curve, since learning requires teaching. It is more align with sitting at your dinner table with your parents. Your parents then inform you that if you don't finish your meat, how can you have any pudding?

Beta basically means they have finished the core coding and everything else is in the air game, the next two patches are the exact things betas are made to address, before the game is available for purchase. Such as normalized weapons and item repair times, normalized anima, normalized sp, then everything else. so ya they are still in beta

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KitsurubamiSouzahara wrote:

This is all just a fanboy civil war. Some are hurt that SE gave them such a crap game, the others are hurt that anyone would call it crap.

already a thread on this. But really these are getting old. an mmo is really never complete. So in away mmo never make it out of beta. As they are always changed over time. SE already have a planed set up for 3 updates. Whioch 90% of complaints will be addressed. give it time ffxiv isn't an old game its a new game.

World of Warcraft enjoys a thriving player base due largely to the quality and polish of the finished product that Blizzard ships. While World of Warcraft was no where near perfect when it was released, Blizzard’s commitment to quality is commendable considering the fact that they are among the very few who learned the valuable lesson of releasing a product in a robust, functional state in order to garner positive first impressions for buyers. It may very well be the secret behind their success (or at least one of them).

This should be embossed on metal and mounted inside every aspiring MMO design company's office, SE included. Failing that, a simple 'Don't **** on my head and tell me it's raining' warning would suffice.

Go play any other game that has been released in the last 12 months that has a decent rating. Next, I dare you to find the ambition to return to FFXIV. So what does this say to all involved. If it is not fun and exciting, then there is really very little reason to continue.

I find myself only playing a few rounds of CoD before I feel the urge to go back to XIV and "grind" for a bit... after a while I spend a few more rounds playing CoD, and then once again returning to Eorzea. I haven't played SCII since I beat the SP, MP I tried a few times but people were ragequitting too much in the lower rungs and I'm not good enough to make my way to the middle or higher tiers. I may change my tune in a few days when (if) GT5 comes out as I'll more than likely dedicate loads of back to back session hours to it... that and the fact that my PS3 is downstairs and my PC isn't...

I'm just saying, it's not all doom and gloom. Other than needing a bit more content and personality, XIV has quite a bit to offer if you have the patience. Personally I grind to attempt to keep up with the crowd for when things are added, and slowly work my way to my next Plot or Guild mission.

Incomplete game is not necessary one with no Earth and no Sea and players flying in the Void. Incomplete game, for example, is one that was designed around player economy and shipped without sensible means for that economy to work (like, I don't know, no market?). Or a game, designed around group play but shipped without sensible means for players to group up. Or a massive multilayer game with a chat system that would not be considered adequate even for a BBS game of 80's.

Even if the upcoming patch does fix a lot of the major issues and I start playing and end up having a great time in this MMO, I'm never going to not be happy about buying an unfinished product, that they KNEW was unfinished but winked and took money for it anyways. That's just a really really shady thing to do.

I would consider the game still very betaish. There seems to be no incentive to level anything but crafts. Story line quests? With leveling so ****-poor at them moment its to far inbetween to really get into the story. The laggy interface, and controls add to the beta feel.

This game needs something that acts like a carrot on the stick people can chase after. The no gear chase is gone since you can wear anything at any level, there is no quests unless you count the poorly implemented leve quests every 36hrs, or the story/class quests at certain levels. There is nothing really to do. Sure the game looks amazing but plays very poorly with little to actually do.

Never confuse your inference as the listener for an implication of the speaker.

Good games are subjective like good food is subjective. You're not going to seriously tell me that there's not a psychological basis for why pizza is great and lutefisk is revolting. The thing about subjectivity is that, as subjects go, humans actually have a great deal in common.

Even if the upcoming patch does fix a lot of the major issues and I start playing and end up having a great time in this MMO, I'm never going to not be happy about buying an unfinished product, that they KNEW was unfinished but winked and took money for it anyways. That's just a really really shady thing to do.

I'm sure the game will be great eventually and I will be back for that, else I wouldn't be here posting. But you're right in that people can't help but be ****** at SE for giving us a skeletal game. And it's really unfortunate but very few people would be willing to give it another shot after that.

well the real beta 1-3 phase was way worse than this. biggest prob is the server lag and its not as bad as the betas were. they do need to add content though thats whats missing.

i play this game no different than other mmo's i play do a few things log off. till i get up in level to do stuff. im sticking with it cuz i only need one character to everything like ffxi. other mmo's flaw is to play another class i have to do everything over again on another character @_@ froget that.